INITIATIVE TOWARDS THE ERADICATION OF CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BY 2015

Transcription

1 Regional Consultation on ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review Brasilia, May 2007 INITIATIVE TOWARDS THE ERADICATION OF CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BY 2015 A Global Priority for Tackling Hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean Gordana Jerger Deputy Regional Director United Nations World Food Programme Latin America and the Caribbean

2 Investing in Undernutrition: a Prerequisite for Reducing Poverty A decrease of 1% in malnutrition rate achieves a 4% decrease in poverty A decrease of 1% in poverty rate achieves a 0.25% decrease in malnutrition rate 5 % decrease in malnutrition rate An efficient way of fighting poverty is to address hunger especially child chronic undernutrition 20% decrease in poverty rate Source: Alderman, Harold (2004). Linkages Between Poverty Reduction Strategies and Child Nutrition.

3 Why Chronic Malnutrition? Chronic malnutrition, the best indicator of the quality of life, is a sign of a structural problem HEIGHT Height retardation Chronic Malnutrition Low height for age - stunting AGE

4 Critical Period: before 36 Months To reduce poverty, there must be policies, strategies and programs specifically tackling undernutrition. To have a lasting impact, it is critical to break the intergenerational cycle of hunger.

5 Undernutrition has a High Economic Cost Increased infant mortality and morbidity and chronic illnessincreased health care costs and future productivity losses Reduced cognitive developmenthigher drop-out and repetition rates and lower retention rates - added costs to education sector Low(er) productivity in adult life Inter-generational transmission

6 Undernutrition has a High Economic Cost COST OF HUNGER: CENTRAL AMERICA CRC DREP GTM HND NIC PAN SLV TOTAL Total (US$ mill) , , , Compared to GDP 1.70% 3.60% 11.40% 10.60% 5.80% 2.30% 7.40% Source: ECLAC/ WFP (2007). Análisis del impacto social y económico de la desnutrición infantil en América Latina. The economic and social cost of preventing undernutrition is minimal compared to the negative economic impact of hunger. More than 2.5 million children in the region aged between 0 and 36 months display serious height and weight deficiencies

7 Concrete Initiatives INITIATIVE TOWARDS THE ERADICATION OF CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BY 2015

8 Regional Political Endorsement and Process Chile, April 2005: Meeting of Health Ministers of South America Cartagena, Colombia, July 2005: Regional Technical Consultation Overcoming Hunger and Malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean to Achieve the MDGs Belize, September 2005: RESSCAD XXI - Meeting of Health Ministers of Central America and Dominican Republic Panama City, Panama, June 2006: Regional Technical Consultation on Towards the Eradication of Child Malnutrition in Central America and Dominican Republic by 2015 organized by WFP and IDB Panama City, Panama, July 2006: Central American Integration System (SICA) Summit Guatemala, September 2006: RESSCAD XXII - Meeting of Health Ministers of Central America and Dominican Republic Lima, Peru, November 2006: technical consultation "Towards the Eradication of Child Undernutrition by 2015 in the Andean Region organized by the governments of Peru and Chile with WFP. Lima Declaration. Guatemala City, Guatemala, March 2007: IDB Annual Meeting of Governors Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, March 2007: REMSAA XXVIII Meeting of Health Ministers of the Andean Area

9 TOWARDS THE ERADICATION OF CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BY 2015 Building on existing national efforts, strengthening champion programs, promoting best practices in tackling child chronic undernutrition preventive approach with a focus on children under 3 years of age and pregnant and nursing woman attention to cultural reality and vulnerable groups, specifically indigenous and Afro-descendant populations promotion of breast feeding integration of vitamin and mineral deficiencies guaranteeing adequate nutritional contribution to target populations promotion of local nutritional habits promotion of growth control programs and integral health care empowering local communities to become the main player in the fight against chronic malnutrition Inter-institutional collaboration

10 TOWARDS THE ERADICATION OF CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BY 2015 Regional component: key cross-cutting issues improved public policies and institutional strengthening effectiveness evaluation of programs raising awareness among decision-makers for increased public resource allocation for preventative interventions focusing on infant undernutrition with an inter-institutional approach strengthening at least the following complementary activities: drinking water and sanitation and early childhood stimulation knowledge management on evidence-based high-impact project design and effective programs, and information sharing among policy makers and practitioners promotion of South-South and triangular cooperation mechanisms

11 From Commitment to Action The INITIATIVE is well advanced in Central America (jointly supported by WFP and IDB) national plans being finalized Partnerships forged for institutionalization of national initiatives in the Andean region Strong UN inter-agency support TOWARDS THE ERADICATION OF CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BY 2015

12 It is Feasible to Eradicate Child Chronic Undernutrition in LAC Less than 1% of ODA allocated to direct nutritional interventions. If the international community acts now in support of targeted interventions, Latin America and the Caribbean could be the first region to achieve the hunger target of the first MDG by TOWARDS THE ERADICATION OF CHILD UNDERNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN BY 2015